On August 9, 1974, President Richard Nixon resigned his office following a speech to the nation the previous evening. The exposure of White House involvement in the cover-up of the Watergate scandal was at the root of his resignation, and three new books take readers back to this tumultuous time in American history and examine the events, the people and the lasting impact.

Douglas Brinkley and Luke Nichter’s The Nixon Tapes: 1971-1972 carefully examines the final tapes which were released last August. Nichter and Brinkley share the information gleaned in a readable narrative offering readers a better understanding of one of the most controversial presidencies in history. From the burgeoning relationship with China, to the SALT I agreement with Russia along with glimpses of the encroaching shadow of Watergate, Nixon’s complex portrait as a political genius marred by hubris and paranoia is well-drawn.

Former White House Counsel John Dean was in the middle of these events, and in The Nixon Defense: What He Knew and When He Knew It he uses personal transcripts from meetings and conversations along with documents from the National Archives and the Nixon Library to track the extent of Nixon’s knowledge and the timeline. Dean provides portraits of key players and highlights critical mistakes which led to the scandal. Dean’s first-person insight is compelling, and he also answers questions surrounding those 18 ½ minutes of missing tape.

Rick Perlstein sheds light on the lasting impact of the Nixon White House in The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan. The United States was in the midst of turbulent political, economic and social upheaval during the 1970s and, following Nixon’s resignation, appeared on a path toward a more centrist global view. But when Ronald Reagan almost snared the Republican nomination for president from incumbent Gerald Ford in 1976, pundits were stunned. Perlstein’s carefully researched and impeccably written account is an engaging chronicle of the times and their political aftermath.

Check out BCPL’s Tumblr for the Richard Nixon Library’s playlist of online Watergate tapes, videos, photos and documents relating to the resignation.

Mexico City author Adi Alsaid ties together the stories of five distinct young people in Let’s Get Lost, his much-buzzed about, captivating road trip novel. Using an unconventional but ultimately wholly satisfying structure, the author first introduces us to Hudson, a young man in Vicksburg, Mississippi, who seems to have his life planned out. But then a carefree, plainspoken 17-year-old named Leila appears in her red car (with red interior) at the repair shop his father owns. Everything in Hudson’s life changes after spending a few short hours with Leila.

And this is ultimately Leila’s story, which the reader is told in bits and pieces as she meanders toward her ultimate destination of seeing the Northern Lights in Alaska. In Kansas City, she encounters Bree, a shoplifting runaway with a dark backstory; later in the Twin Cities, Leila saves Elliot from what could have been a life-ending decision on his prom night that didn’t go as he’d planned. On the way northwest to Alaska, Sonia needs Leila’s help after circumstances set into motion an international comedy of errors involving wedding rings, Mounties and Tim Horton’s donuts. Finally, Leila reaches Alaska, and the reasons for her bittersweet need to see the Northern Lights become as brilliantly clear as the Aurora Borealis itself.

Let's Get Lost brims with young people on the cusp of discovering their potentials, which makes it a great read for teens looking for inspiration in their own lives. It will also appeal to adults with a sense of longing for open-ended days free of responsibility, when life’s options seemed limitless.

What is WondLa? When Eva Nine left home in the first book of the WondLa trilogy by Tony DiTerlizzi, all she had was her robotic Muthr and a picture of a place called WondLa, a land that seemed to offer everything she ever wanted out of life. A lot has changed since then. She's made friends, she's made a few enemies and she's discovered that the world has changed from what she was trained to face. The entire Earth had gone dormant until a life generator tried to make the planet livable again for alien colonists. Eva Nine has discovered that she's not the last human in the world, but what's left of humanity is being pushed into a war that doesn't need to be fought. The time has come for The Battle for WondLa.

This is a great series to grow up with. There's action, adventure, even a little romance, but there's also some pretty hefty philosophical concepts so the book is not age-locked. Alien — and not-so-alien but still bizarre — beasts live and die and figure out what they stand for. Tony DiTerlizzi was also one of the writers and illustrators for the Spiderwick Chronicles, and just as he did with those books, the WondLa trilogy overflows with inventive and monochrome character-filled illustrations. It's possible to get a sense of who the characters are and what they'll do just by looking at them.

This might not be an appropriate read for very young children. Violence abounds and terrifying situations are common, but that's part of growing up. Scary story elements are right next to affirmations of friendship, fascinating world building and the essential idea that all people see things differently. This may be a children's book, but readers of any age should be able to enjoy this one.

Ask any fan of author Diana Gabaldon how they feel this summer, and the answer will almost certainly echo the Clan Fraser motto, “Je suis prest,” which means “I am ready.” Starz is bringing Gabaldon’s internationally bestselling Outlander novels to life with a new television series premiering August 9, and this sneak peak proves that it was worth the wait.

Outlander, the first book in the series, opens in 1946 as Claire is traveling with her husband Frank in the Scottish highlands. When she walks through a stone circle, she inexplicably finds herself transported to 1743. In a world completely unlike her own, Claire finds herself dealing with intrigue and political maneuvering that she barely understands, and the stakes are high. To avoid being turned over to English soldiers as a presumed spy, she marries Scottish outlaw Jamie Fraser and is soon torn between her love for Frank and her blossoming love for Jamie.

Although Jamie is widely regarded as one of the most swoon-worthy heroes in historical romance, this genre-bending series isn’t just for romance readers. With time travel, detailed history, adventure and intrigue, these rich novels will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Outlander is a complex series that weaves back and forth through time, so reading the books in order is a must. If you’re new to the series, start reading now! These books are quite long, but they are impossible to put down. The audiobooks, narrated by Davina Porter, are also an excellent way to enjoy this not-to-be-missed series.

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, the long-awaited eighth book in the series, was just published, and Gabaldon recently discussed the new book, the future of the series and her excitement about the upcoming TV show in this Goodreads interview.

Did you know that BCPL has a wide range of e-books available to download 24 hours a day? Many popular titles are available in both print and e-book, but there are some titles that are only published as e-books. These fun new romances are available exclusively in e-book.

In Allison Parr’s Imaginary Lines, Tamar Rosenfeld fell in love with Abraham Krasner on the dance floor at his bar mitzvah, but she kept her crush a secret through their teenage years. She finally confessed her feelings to him when they were in college...and it didn’t go well. She ignored him for several years, hoping her humiliation would fade. (It hasn’t.) When she moves to New York City for a new job as a sports reporter, Tamar finds herself at odds with Abe, who is now a linebacker for the New York Leopards. Tamar doesn’t count on Abe’s sudden insistence that they are meant to be together. This is a great sports romance that will also appeal to fans of the new adult genre. Abe seems laid back, but his quiet strength will sweep readers away along with Tamar. Parr, who has written two previous novels about Abe’s teammates, is a strong new voice in contemporary romance.

Maryland author Christi Barth transports readers to the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York in Up to Me. Ella Mayhew’s entire life has revolved around her family’s resort. It’s entirely out of character when she finds herself falling for Gray Locke, a guest at Mayhew Manor. But Gray has a secret that could spell disaster for their budding romance — he is really there to assess the business as an investment for a company that wants to buy it out. Add to the mix a cast of quirky locals, all of whom are deeply invested in Ella’s happiness, and you have a funny, sweet romance that’s the perfect companion for a lazy summer afternoon.

Find out more about BCPL’s e-book collection here. If you need help getting started, visit one of our branches where our staff will be happy to assist you!

Imagine willingly telling strangers on the Internet your deepest, darkest secrets and letting them give you an assignment that you have to complete to protect your secret — that’s what Tabitha decides to do in Corey Ann Haydu’s Life by Committee. Tabby feels like her life is falling apart after her best friends abandon her and she kisses someone else’s boyfriend, a boy that she’s been flirting with online for months. When she’s given a used copy of The Secret Garden filled with someone’s thoughts on the book and a website link handwritten in the back everything changes. Intrigued by the website, “Life by Committee,” and frustrated with how things are going in her life, Tabby decides to join the group, which requires members to provide one secret a week and then perform a task to keep the secret safe.

As Tabby joins the website, she’s pushed outside her comfort zone again and again by group members as she reveals more secrets. As time goes on, she begins pushing away her only remaining friend and her parents as she becomes wrapped up in the website and the assignments they give her. Only when the assignments begin to go too far does Tabby begin to question her choices.

Haydu’s Life by Committee is a strong second book after her memorable debut novel OCD Love Story. Again Haydu has written about a character who is flawed, and all the more interesting because of it. Tabby makes some cringe-worthy choices and many mistakes throughout Life by Committee, making her a realistic, relatable character. Readers who enjoy Haydu’s books can look forward to two new titles set to be released in 2015.

Canadian cousins Jillian and Mariko Tamaki team up on This One Summer, a swirling, breathtaking graphic novel that recounts the time in a girl’s life when childhood innocence comes to a crashing end. Rose, an only child, goes to cottage country north of Toronto every summer with her parents. There, they meet up with another neighbor family, including Windy, who has been Rose’s slightly younger playmate for years. Windy, too, is an only child, and the two find themselves quickly reacquainting and sharing their days together. But Rose’s adolescent leanings, coupled with tension between her parents, mean that this summer will be different.

Jillian Tamaki’s purple-blue ink illustrations perfectly capture the churning, confusing and sometimes somber moodiness that Rose endures as the events of the summer pass. From carefree days splashing in the lake and watching slasher DVDs with Windy to dealing with her parents’ marital breakdown, Rose’s progression is clearly defined. Her first crush, on a convenience store clerk (who has troubles all his own), is well-depicted in all its unrequited awkwardness. Mariko Tamaki’s words are equally effective, as many older teens and adults will see their own lives in the thoughts and actions of the young friends. Frank language and mature topics such as depression and pregnancy are handled carefully but without patronizing to the intended age of the readership. Particularly successful is the way the Tamakis choose to tell the tale — without judgment or outspoken morality. The bittersweet conclusion is open-ended and purposely lacking forced resolution, showing that adolescence — and life itself — is a continuum that will go on long past that one summer.

When the name Abigail Adams is mentioned it generally conjures up an image of an iconic American figure, primarily known as the wife of President John Adams and mother of President John Quincy Adams. However, before she assumed either of these roles, she was a daughter and sister in a very extraordinary family. In Dear Abigail: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters, Diane Jacobs introduces the reader to the woman who became the icon and the family relationships that shaped her.

Born the middle of three daughters to William and Elizabeth Quincy Smith of Braintree, Massachusetts, Abigail and her sisters Mary and Elizabeth were clever girls who managed to supplement their limited formal home education by reading any book they could get their hands on. Often using excerpts from the lifelong correspondence between the three sisters, Jacobs has meticulously pieced together the lives of these women in great detail. In an era where women had few legal rights and very few career options outside of wife and mother, Abigail, Mary and Elizabeth aspired to make their voices heard outside their family circle. While Abigail seems to have achieved the most success, her sisters were able to make their marks during the Revolutionary War era and beyond.

For those who either think they know the story of Abigail Adams or have enjoyed such books as David McCullough’s biography John Adams or are interested in early American history, this book is a must read. Jacobs is not only a thorough scholar but she has a delightful and engaging narrative style.

Author Christopher Beha explores the unrealistic nature of reality television and the unintentional consequences of releasing a sex tape in his new novel Arts & Entertainments. Handsome Eddie Hartley hung his dreams on becoming a famous actor after he left high school but didn't have the talent to back it up. Now, working as a drama teacher in the same Catholic high school he attended, he is desperately trying to make ends meet. His wife longs to have a baby, but their only hope lies in an expensive in vitro fertilization procedure that Eddie can ill afford. But when a sleazy media producer comes to him looking for dirt on a now famous ex-girlfriend, Eddie realizes that the old sex tape on his hard drive could be the answer to his prayers.

Arts & Entertainments is a contemporary look at today’s media-obsessed culture, and anyone who likes to keep up with the Kardashians will quickly take to this novel. Eddie is a sympathetic anti-hero, not looking for fame but trying to make a quick buck and, although his decisions are rash and never in his best interest, we can’t help but care about him. Eddie’s struggle is monumental. What he had hoped to gain is suddenly lost and he's back at square one. But Eddie never gives up hope and, even at his worst, the reader will continue to cheer him on. Arts & Entertainments is a modern character study that is full of heart and belongs on everyone’s summer reading list.

Jacqueline Winspear, highly respected author of the Maisie Dobbs series, has created a standalone novel based on an unusual premise: the importance of food in a war effort. The Care and Management of Lies is a story of two young British women, Kezia Marchant and Thea Brissenden, friends since early school days, who take very different paths in life. By mid-summer 1914, Kezia can think of nothing else but her imminent marriage to Thea’s brother Tom, who runs the family farm. Thea chooses a life of independence and has embraced the women’s suffrage movement and the peace protestors. While Kezia’s life is ordered and traditional, Thea’s is chaotic and fraught with peril. Kezia embraces her life as a farmer’s wife with rare creativity; while Thea avoids possible prison by responding to a friend’s overtures to join the Ambulance Corps in France.

As the war spirals into an entrenched stalemate, Tom reluctantly leaves home to serve his country. Kezia is determined that he not miss a single meal while he is absent. Each evening, she carefully plans her menu of uncommonly original recipes, sets Tom’s place at the table and writes letters filled with descriptions of her creations. While lovingly prepared, these meals are only a product of Kezia’s imagination. Soldier and civilian alike suffer from the blockade that prevents the island nation from successfully feeding its people and army.

Winspear has successfully woven a story of civilians and soldiers, friends and enemies, want and plenty. This is one of many works commemorating the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the War to End All Wars. Fans of Anne Perry’s World War I series and Charles Todd’s works featuring Bess Crawford as a World War I nurse will surely enjoy this original perspective on the subject.